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When you’re just getting started with points and miles, two cards tend to rise to the top: the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees) and the
But while they often compete for a spot in your wallet, they shine in different ways. One is better for travelers. The other is a powerhouse for food lovers. So which one makes more sense for you — or is there a reason to consider both?
Let’s break down the key differences, from earning rates to transfer partners to the latest welcome offers.
Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold at a Glance
- Choose the Amex Gold if: You spend heavily at eligible U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide and can naturally use its recurring credits.
- Choose the Sapphire Preferred if: You want a lower-cost travel card with broader travel earning and stronger travel protections.
- Consider carrying both if: You can justify the Amex Gold’s credits and want Sapphire Preferred for travel purchases, protections, and access to Chase transfer partners.
Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold Welcome Offers
Both the Sapphire Preferred and the Amex Gold have valuable welcome offers. However, one is currently significantly more valuable than the other.
The Sapphire Preferred is offering 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Meanwhile, the Amex Gold offers as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases in the first 6 months (apply and find out your offer, welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer).
$95Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on gas and EV charging
- 3X points on vacation homes at top brands like Airbnb, Vrbo and more
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
$325Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on cruises booked and paid through amextravel.com
- 1X on other eligible purchases
Not all points are equally valuable. But, in this case,
- Amex Membership Rewards: 2.03¢
- Chase Ultimate Rewards: 2.07¢
Transferring your points to partners is generally the best way to get the most value out of your points, and both Chase and American Express have a wide array of transfer partners.
If you prefer to book travel via travel portals, Sapphire Preferred Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for up to 1.5 cents apiece on the Chase Travel℠ Portal, depending on your redemption, while Amex Gold Membership Rewards points are redeemable for 1 cent apiece on the American Express Travel® Portal.
Winner: Sapphire Preferred, as the card is currently offering new applicants 75,000 bonus points.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation and more
- Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 - a value of $156.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for 12 months when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
- Transfer points to leading airline and hotel
loyalty programs - Member FDIC
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on gas and EV charging
- 3X points on vacation homes at top brands like Airbnb, Vrbo and more
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold Annual Fees
- Sapphire Preferred: $95
- Amex Gold: $325 (Rates & Fees)
Those annual fees may seem vastly different, but the Amex Gold‘s annual fee can be offset by the benefits of holding the card. It's also worth noting that neither card charges for adding authorized users (unless you have more than five authorized users).
- Sapphire Preferred: No fee for authorized users.
- Amex Gold: No fee for up to five authorized users. If you have six or more authorized users, it will cost $35 per authorized user (Rates & Fees).
Because we cover benefits in a separate section, the winner of this section is only judged by the annual fee. In this case, the winner is the cheaper option.
Winner: Sapphire Preferred for a lower annual fee.
Sapphire Preferred vs Amex Gold Earning Rates
The Sapphire Preferred has the following earning rates:
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on gas and EV charging
- 3X points on vacation homes at top brands like Airbnb, Vrbo and more
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
The Amex Gold has the following earning rates:
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on cruises booked and paid through amextravel.com
- 1X on other eligible purchases
Note that these cards do have some overlap. If you typically use online grocery delivery services, eat at restaurants, and book flights directly with airlines, you can earn more than one point per dollar on the Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold.
As for a recommendation as to which card is better, it depends. If you spend a lot of money on groceries and dining, the Amex Gold is the better way to go. Whether you buy groceries at U.S. supermarkets or via online delivery, you will earn 4X points (on up to $25,000 annually). All restaurant purchases worldwide earn 4X too (on the first $50,000 spent annually).
However, if you spend a lot of money on travel, the Sapphire Preferred is better, since you can earn 5X on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Portal and 2X on other travel purchases.
Winner: It's a tie.
Sapphire Preferred vs. Amex Gold: Key Benefits
Transfer partners
Both cards have a solid number of transfer partners. While some airlines are partnered with both Chase and American Express, the two programs generally have their own unique partners.
Currently, Chase partners with 14 loyalty programs — 10 airlines and four hotels. American Express has 20 transfer partners, including 16 airlines and four hotels.
That sounds like a clear win for Amex, but Chase uniquely partners with three key programs:
Travel and dining credits
The Sapphire Preferred has a $100 annual credit for hotel purchases made through the Chase Travel Portal.
The Amex Gold has a monthly up to $10 dining credit that can be used at places including Grubhub, Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. Additionally, the Amex Gold has a monthly Uber credit of up to $10 that can be used for U.S. rides and Uber Eats. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Amex Disclosure: To receive $10 monthly credits (up to $120 per year) in Uber Cash, you must add the American Express® Gold Card to your Uber account and select it as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction.
Plus, Amex Gold offers up to $184 in new dining statement credits:
- Up to $100 Resy credit: Broken into up to $50 usable from January through June and up to $50 usable from July through December, at qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants.
- Up to $84 Dunkin' credit: Up to $7 monthly at U.S. locations.
- Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Additionally, the Amex Gold has access to Amex Travel's The Hotel Collection (not Fine Hotels + Resorts®, which is exclusive to the American Express Platinum Card®). Bookings in The Hotel Collection get up to a $100 hotel property credit for stays that are at least two nights.
Winner: The Amex Gold is the clear winner thanks to its monthly (and semi-annual) food and transportation credits.
Partner program benefits
Sapphire Preferred cardholders currently can have a DoorDash DashPass membership for one year, as long as they enroll by December 31, 2027. Chase also has a partnership with Peloton, and Sapphire Preferred cardholders can earn bonus points on Peloton purchases. Cardholders can also take advantage of bonus earnings on Lyft rides as well.
The Amex Gold just has the partner program benefits listed in the section above.
Winner: Slight edge to the Sapphire Preferred.
Insurance protections
The Sapphire Preferred outshines the Amex Gold when it comes to insurance protections for travel. The Sapphire Preferred offers many protections, including:
- Trip cancelation and interruption insurance
- Maximum coverage: Up to $10,000 per person for each covered trip ($20,000 per trip, $40,000 maximum per year)
- Baggage delay insurance
- $100 per day if a bag delay is more than 6 hours, maximum of $500
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Maximum coverage: Up to $3,000 per passenger
- Extended warranty coverage
- Emergency Evacuation and Transportation coverage
- Auto rental collision damage waiver (rental car insurance)
- Maximum coverage: up to $60,000, except for certain expensive/exotic vehicles.
The Amex Gold only offers lost luggage reimbursement (maximum $1,250 per passenger), reimbursement for trip delays rather than insurance, and secondary rental car insurance.
Winner: The Sapphire Preferred offers much more comprehensive insurance protections.
Bottom Line
While we'd love to declare a winner, the best choice for you depends on how you spend your money.
Go with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card if you prioritize travel protections, book through the Chase portal, or want a lower annual fee with broad travel earning. Plus, its 75,000-point bonus is the icing on the cake.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation and more
- Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 - a value of $156.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for 12 months when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
- Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Member FDIC
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on gas and EV charging
- 3X points on vacation homes at top brands like Airbnb, Vrbo and more
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Choose the American Express® Gold Card if you spend heavily on groceries and dining and can easily take advantage of the monthly credits. After all, no other card allows you to earn 4X on most grocery purchases and dining.
(Terms apply)
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay.
- $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide.§ *Eligible charges vary by property.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind - backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on cruises booked and paid through amextravel.com
- 1X on other eligible purchases
And if you’re deep into the points and miles game? It might be worth holding both. That way, you’ll earn strong rewards across multiple categories — and build a flexible stash of points with two of the best transferable currencies out there.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), and American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees)
